A Great way to check off a line from my Bucket List.
Noordam Cruise Review to Alaska - Gulf of Alaska
Review summary
Being a first time cruiser, I have nothing to compare the cruise with.However, I feel Holland America knows how to make the Alaskan Cruise a special experience. I cannot say enough about the staff. They were friendly, informative, accommodating, efficient, and provided impeccable service. The food throughout the ship was great. The dining room menu was creative and provided something for everyone. The buffet, too, had a wide selection of choices. Check out the burger at the poolside grill! It is as good as any at gourmet burger restaurants. My spa experiences were equally as good. It was obvious the ship's captain wanted to showcase the Alaskan landscape and was an excellent wildlife spotter, important for an Alaskan cruise. The entertainment is overall OK, but loved the band in the BB King Blues Lounge and the Piano Bar entertainer. Besides, we were tired in the evenings from shore excursions and cruise activities. The reason I cannot give the cruise 5 stars is there was a mechanical issue with a part of the ship (non-navigational) and it cost a nearly an entire day of the cruise/excursions. I am looking forward to cruising again.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Try the "Pub Crawl". Consider cost of laundry, if adding a land portion. You may want to see if there is an upgrade to pay for this.
Ports of call
Seward (Anchorage), Alaska Did not visit port
Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia